The present invention relates to a draawn mine-removing apparatus with at least one mechanically or electrically driven sound generator for igniting acoustical mines, and electrode-carrying floating cables for igniting magnetic mines.
Mine-removing apparatus of the foregoing type have been utilized for igniting sea mines. Such an apparatus has been designed to ignite mines having magnetic detonators, which normally react to fluctuations of local magnetic fields, such that occur when large magnetizable objects, like a ship hull approach the mine. Such apparatus have been also designed to ignite mines provided with acoustic detonators, which react to sound waves generated by the ship drives, and also so-called combined or magneto-acoustic mines which react to changes in local magnetic fields in combination with acoustic signals.
In conventional mine-removing apparatus of the type under consideration the electrode-carrying floating cables or a closed electrically-conductive floating cable loop and a mechanically or electrically driven sound generator are towed by rigid cables or ropes connected to a mine sweeping boat, wherein the length of the pulling cables or ropes can be between 300 and 600 m without any danger. For a magnetic ignition of mines, a voltage is applied to the electrode-carrying floating cable or the closed floating cable loop so that a magnetic field is generated between the electrodes--the circuit is closed by water--or about the floating cable loop. This field changes the local magnetic field around a ground mine and thus ignites the latter. For an acoustic ignition of mines, a sound generator towed by the mine-sweeping boat, is normally provided. The sound generator is normally electrically or mechanically driven. This generator produces a pulsing noise which resembles the noise made by the drive of a ship so that an acoustic mine is ignited.
With conventional devices, the apparatus for magnetic mine ignition put out and pulled in by means of a motor-operated winch is drawn in a straight line behind the mine-sweeping boat. The sound generator is driven and drawn separately by a second motor-operated winch on a separate cable, which must be kept lateral diverted from the magnetic mine-ignition device. For this purpose a plurality of floatable diverter kites are provided on the cable of the sound generator.
These conventional devices are expensive, as they require separate motor-operated winches and it is difficult and time-consuming to put out or pull in these devices, particularly in rough sea. For ensuring a parallel arrangement at a certain distance of the cables, special diverter kites must be provided on the cable of the sound generator. The maneuvering ability of the mine-sweeping boat and the visual control of the mine-removing apparatus leaves much to be desired. In case of combined ground mines which react to magnetic and acoustic signals, the known mine-removing apparatus is not able to ensure a reliable ignition of the mines, because modern combined sea mines due to the lateral distance between the sound generator and the field source can discriminate between a ship and the mine-removing apparatus.